Got Books? Got Music?

Even with all the critical attention that John Reed's satirical Snowball's Chance (Roof Press) has received, money is still a problem in today's tight economy, according to Roof's distributor, Small Press Distribution in Berkeley, Calif., the country's only nonprofit distributor. "It's a great struggle, because of some of the funding drying up at foundations," said marketing and acquisitions editor Laura Moriarty. Twice a year, SPD holds an old-fashioned open house and book sale fund-raiser. The one in mid-December certainly helped. "It was great," says Moriarty. "There was a terrible storm, and there were outages in our neighborhood. Luckily, we didn't experience one, but we were ready with our candles and notepads. Four hundred people came. The fact that we had Diane di Prima was a huge draw." In addition to di Prima, who read from her new chapbook, Towers Down: Two Poems (Eidolon Editions)—which includes a poem by Clive Matson—Bay Area writers Steve Barber, author of Annihilation Zones: Far East Atrocities of the 20th Century (Creation Books), poet Jen Hofer, author of Slide Rule (subpress), and Kit Robinson, author of 9:45 (Post-Apollo Press), all read and signed books. Shoppers at the SPD warehouse were given 10-page star maps, indicating where they could find key titles, which are all shelved by publisher.

After testing music sales for the past six months, BookWorld Distribution Services in Sarasota, Fla., has decided to form a separate music division. "We have six labels, and three that are waiting in the wings," president Ronald Smith told PW. "One of the startling positive facts is that there are very few returns. We think it will be at least a $3-million business in 2003." John Plough, who joined BookWorld last year, will head the music division, which carries CDs ranging from Aida (Opera Journeys Publishing) to A Tribute of Love: A Wedding Album (Pie Music Distribution).